Strength of Materials Through Economical Activities

The content of a typical strength of materials course offers many challenges to students. Understanding requires retention of core knowledge from multiple previous courses, quick acquisition of new concepts and vocabulary, and synthesis of old and new content to address relatively practical, often realistic problems. Several simple, low-cost activities were developed to promote mechanics concept comprehension, and link these concepts to practical applications and prior knowledge. Through activities incorporating various types of loading such as axial forces, direct shear forces and torque, students are encouraged to think about fundamental stresses, deformations, and their relationship to product design of common items. The low-cost strength of materials activities described in this paper were implemented in a laboratory setting with mechanical engineering technology students in a sophomore-level course. The activities could be conducted by groups of students in a recitation or studio setting, or adapted to be a combination of demonstration and student group work in a larger lecture setting or flipped classroom. Activity success at improving understanding and application of strength of materials topics, engaging students, and incorporating design thinking is being assessed directly through student surveys and indirectly through regular examinations. Evaluation of assessment data and corresponding improvement efforts will be reported.